is developed jointly by the Corps of Engineers and the U. S. Forest Service. This agreement provides as a general condition that each agency will be fully and independently responsible for recreational development and administration of the lands over which respective jurisdiction is exercised. Where the pattern of ownership between project and National Forest purposes is highly mixed within a single recreational area, the agency having the greater responsibility within the area by agreement may assume full responsibility for the area, and licenses may be granted to facilitate administration of the area as a whole by either the Corps of Engineers or the Forest Service.

Licenses are

Such

Procedures for Leasing to Governmental Agencies. issued by the Department of the Army to Federal, State, and local governmental agencies without monetary consideration for public recreational development and for fish and wildlife management. bodies must show that they have the legal authority to engage in these activities and that they are prepared to assume reasonable responsibility for such management.

Licenses are granted for terms of from

5 to 25 years, generally 25 years. However, in some instances, when the development proposed by a State involves a large investment which must be financed by a bond issue or otherwise, the Secretary of the Army has authorized the granting of leases or licenses for such purposes for terms up to 50 years.

The procedure of the Corps of Engineers for granting licenses for fish and wildlife management is substantially the same as for public park and recreation purposes. However, fish and' wildlife agencies

are generally not authorized by law to carry out recreational development programs other than those concerned with management of fish and Consequently, they devote their activities on the lands

wildlife.

and waters to research, special demonstrations in game releases and game management, special measures in the interest of migratory waterfowl, management of public shooting grounds, introduction of new species, manipulation of fish populations, and cooperative activities with the Corps.

Summary of Licenses and Leases: A total of 1,368,600 acres of project lands and waters have been made available under 3,460 licenses and leases to others for development and management under this pro

Although the Committee did not specifically request a report from

the Corps of Engineers on fees or user charges, the Committee, in

Report No. 1634, 86th Congress, expressed the opinion that:

...a basic guide in the development of overall policies and plans should be that income from the use of recreational areas and facilities should be at least sufficient to carry the Federal cost of construction and management of the areas wherever Federal investment for these purposes is involved."

The Committee also observed that:

"Minimum fees for the use of the camping areas,
parking, and use of boat ramps should not prove to be
a serious or objectionable burden to the users of the
recreation resources. It would seem, much more fair
that the beneficiaries of these resources should bear
the cost of the facilities that make their enjoyment
possible than that the cost of these facilities should
be spread to all of the taxpayers, many of whom never
have the opportunity to make use of them. The problem
of covering the cost of recreational facilities is
particularly aggravated on Bureau of Reclamation pro-
jects where recreation is not an authorized purpose of
the project. In such instances the added cost of
managing the recreation areas is reimbursable and falls
on the shoulders of those who are paying for the
irrigation and power benefits which may be in the pro-
jects involved."

"The Committee recognizes that equitable solutions to the problem of managing water areas are a very complex and difficult matter. However, without at least basic policy guides the Committee finds itself in a very difficult position in its review of the fund requests for such facilities on a project-by-project basis."

In view of the foregoing, the Corps of Engineers submits the following brief summary of data and comments on the subject of fees and user charges for recreation in the hope that the information will be useful to the Committee and the Congress in its actions under existing laws and policies and in its consideration of possible amendments of those laws and policies.

Fees or Charges Now Collected by the Corps of Engineers. As contemplated by existing laws, the Corps of Engineers provides the basic facilities necessary to give the public access to its reservoirs without charge. The Corps, however, does charge concessionaires for the privilege of operating special service facilities which are necessary or desirable for full use of the recreational potential. In 1959, for example, $1,986,000 was collected for rent and leases of lands for recreational and agricultural use. By law (Section 7 of the Flood Control Act of 1941, as amended) 75 percent of all such monies are paid to the States to be expended as the State Legislatures may prescribe for the benefit of public schools and public roads of the counties concerned or for defraying any of the expenses of county government including public obligations of levee and drainage districts.

Fees or Charges Now Collected by Others Than the Corps of Engineers. The concessionaires licensed directly by the Corps of Engineers or by State or local governmental agencies charge the using public for the services provided.

The effect of this arrangement is that the public

has free access to the recreational resources of a project and can make use of them without charge if they have the equipment that may be necessary and do not require additional services or supplies. These latter items of equipment, service and supplies are made available and charged for by the concessionaires.

Factors Affecting Possible Fees or Charges for Use of Federallyprovided Facilities. The recreational opportunity or service which the Federal Government now provides to the public without charge is

essentially that of access to the recreational potential of Corps of Engineers' projects. That access is provided in part by States and other public agencies under license and is made available at more than 4,000 points along 21,000 miles of shoreline in 250 reservoirs. A substantial number of the 106 million visitors to these projects in 1959 merely viewed the project works or the general area for a few hours or less. Some used only the picnic or camping facilities. Others used the basic facilities provided for access to the waters for fishing, swimming or boating. The length of stay and extent of use of available opportunities for recreation varied widely.

Possible Methods of Collecting Fees or User Charges. Since the service provided is essentially access to the reservoirs recreational potential, the full enjoyment of which entails other investments or expenditures by the users, the possible charge for such access would be, in effect, an admission charge. This could be collected in two general ways. First, by collection for each admission at any access point, or secondly, by selling a license which would entitle the bearer or a vehicle to be admitted at any access point over a given period of time.

The first method would permit charges to be made commensurate with the length of stay and relative value of recreational opportunity available at each point, but would involve relatively high costs of collection.

The second method would involve less collection cost but would result in casual visitors being charged as much as those who used the facilities often and intensively.